Kind-hearted cabbies rallied round when one of their fellow drivers was struck down by cancer and told that without an operation he would die.

Kind-hearted cabbies rallied round when one of their fellow drivers was struck down by cancer and told that without an operation he would die.

When 56-year-old Alan Fergie was in hospital after undergoing surgery they took turns to visit him every day.

And when the day came for his release from hospital, staff at Cramlington-based Alpha Cars made sure a driver was there with a Jaguar to pick him up.

As he underwent chemotherapy sessions they stood by him and now Mr Fergie is well on the road to recovery and back working part-time for his firm.

To mark his comeback he got behind the wheel of a mini-bus which was hauled for five miles by the taxi firm's drivers through Cramlington at the weekend in a sponsored pull which will raise around &#xA3;3,000 for the Marie Curie Cancer Care organisation.

Divorced dad-of-two Mr Fergie, of Abingdon Square, Cramlington, said: "In October last year I was just out driving doing my morning school bus run when I got a pain which started to get worse.

"I went to the doctor and I was in about ten minutes and he said I had to get up to Wansbeck General Hospital for emergency admission.

"My daughter Tracey drove me there and I was taken in straightaway. The next day I had an operation for bowel cancer. I was in intensive care for four days and then on a ward for six.

"I had some really bad days but the care in the hospital was really good and the lads made sure there was somebody up every day from work to see me.

"I've had 22 chemotherapy sessions up to now and have about eight to go.

"I feel one hundred per cent again but I just haven't got the energy I had. It has been pretty rough but being able to go back to work part-time has given me some self-esteem back.

"The lads were fantastic. From the very first day when I went into hospital there has been somebody always in contact and I've had calls from the customers as well."

Michael Mood, boss of Alpha Cars, said: "We thought it would be a great idea if we could give something back to a cancer-related charity because Alan's illness really affected everyone at Alpha Cars. The mini-bus pull was quite a big event and we have quite a bit of money in so far."

The mini-bus pull started at 2pm on Sunday calling at pubs and clubs to make collections.